So you'd like to be on the mainstage at La Boite Theatre? Here's how – and with whom – you do it. scenestr spoke with Sanja Simic, Creative Producer at La Boite, regarding HWY – their mid-year showcase for emerging thespians.
What's the main purpose behind La Boite HWY?
HWY exists as a work platform featuring rehearsed readings, showings, workshops, masterclasses, and an invitation to contribute to a wider conversation about theatre in this city. The festival provides a pathway for artists into La Boite mainstage programming, residencies, and creative developments, as well as opening up a dialogue about future works with myself and Artistic Director, Todd MacDonald. It’s a great way to see a lot of new work, meet artists, and bring the sector together for a couple of weeks.
Where did the idea come from and how was it developed?
HWY began in 2016 and came out of the need for opportunity, platforms, and support for local and national artists seeding new ideas and looking to explore work in front of an audience that was willing to engage with the content in its early developmental stages. It’s a unique opportunity for artists to meet and work closely with us on a project of their choosing. The festival features artists from diverse backgrounds who are all recognised for their potential.
What makes a good HWY artist?
There is no one mould for a HWY or La Boite artist – we are interested in ideas, experiences, diverse teams, incredible stories, and a dedication to creating new Australian work. Text based theatre can exist in any number of forms and we are open to talking about all of them. For artists, it is a rare opportunity to talk about practice and ideas in front of the sector without the pressure of presenting a fully-formed work. This year sees us experiment with physical work, work by young people, irreverent adaptations of classic texts, work by deaf artists, a beautiful project that has come directly from consultation with the community, and more.
What do you hope people get out of attending HWY?
A thirst to see the next iteration of each of the works in the performance program, new skills, different approaches to making, and a range of material to talk about and discuss. This is the part that the audience rarely gets to see – the first step, a new idea, a first draft, an initial spark that grows into a fully formed concept. We want our La Boite audiences to become part of the process of making, by feeding into the conversation at this early stage.
What do you hope artists get out of being a part of HWY?
Valuable feedback, constructive criticism, new ideas, and the drive to keep going – we want to see every one of these works continue to grow and find future lives.
What is your role as part of this event?
I am La Boite’s Creative Producer, but I’ve also curated the festival with our AD, Todd MacDonald, and I’ll be directing a reading in the first week of the program and running a Producing Intensive on the first day. In short, I’ll be there every moment of every day, doing everything I can to support the artists and engage audiences throughout the festival. This is such an exciting opportunity to meet an array of Brisbane’s theatre and performance makers during a concentrated period, and a wonderful way to spend time with the sector, doing what we know and love – talking about and making theatre!
Tell us about some of the challenges of holding a festival like this.
This is our second year of HWY so part of the challenge is growing an audience for new work in this way. We also have to be selective with the work that we program, despite wanting to give everyone a chance to have their say – it’s important that the work aligns with La Boite’s vision and mission and we are absolutely committed to providing opportunities for our artists in residence and those who’ve been working with us over the last twelve months.
There's everything from talks to actual performances... How are artists chosen every year?
HWY features the La Boite Artists-in-Residence and this year we are working with Steven Oliver, Alethea Beetson, and Black Honey Company. We also do a call-out for applications from local artists who’re interested in taking part in HWY, and we go out to artists we’ve been in conversation with leading up to the festival – this may include artists from the previous year’s program who’re looking to explore the next stage in the development of their work. In terms of the talks, masterclasses, and workshops, we are always looking to engage industry leaders, as well as artists and practitioners who have a history with La Boite. With a diverse range of artists and projects, the HWY program is for audiences of all stripes!
Give us a little snapshot of what's on offer this year.
So many wonderful things! The performance program is incredibly diverse, featuring readings and showings of works in various stages of development – come to all of them, you won’t regret it. The masterclasses and workshops are amazing, covering everything from scenography to sound design to participatory theatre practice. There’s also a conversation series that’ll hopefully provoke rigorous discussions about process, practice, and content. This year we’re also introducing The Pitch – an ideas lab taking place on Tuesday 20 June that’ll feature six local artists road-testing brand new ideas for the first time ever, and two HWY Sessions featuring local musicians Ella Fence and Waveney Yasso. It’s a jam packed two weeks and we need you, our wonderful audience, to come along and make it happen with us!
